Sonnets From Other Lives: Thanh

His father looked up from his magazine
& checked her out. He lingered on the boobs
too long for her comfort. She could see
that it would be a long night. Was it too
late run away--make an escape?
His mother called out from kitchen, Donny
come & getcher girl a drink. You got here late
& now you got t’ catch up. Before long she
had had two whiskeys but they didn’t help.
Resentment & an alcoholic funk
slowly filled the room. Why dintcha tell
us you was marryin a gook? His father’s drunk-
en question lay there like reeking turd.
Don said nothing. She knew then it wouldn’t work.